


Stars and Stripes and Stevie

by FandomDarling99



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Age Play, Baby Steve, Bed-Wetting, Caregiver Bucky, Crying, Diapers, Infantilism, M/M, Nightmares, Non-Sexual Age Play, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-11
Updated: 2019-06-20
Packaged: 2020-02-29 19:25:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18784630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomDarling99/pseuds/FandomDarling99
Summary: Steve and Bucky begin a new form of coping with all the shit they've gone through. Steve is freaking adorable and Bucky is so in love.





	1. Confessions, Confusion, and Comfort

**Author's Note:**

> Endgame killed me so let's pretend that Thor aimed for the head in the first place and everyone lived happily ever after (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

 Steve sucked in a breath, heart thundering in his chest. He glanced down at the tablet in his hands, checking once more that he had all the correct webpages open. Everything was in order. He'd finally gathered up the courage to confront Bucky about all of it, he couldn't back down now. Not after weeks of research, internal debating, and chatting anonymously on web forums. No, he'd come to far to chicken out. He went through WWII, an alien invasion, a flying city, a team break up, and the near destruction of half of all life in the universe. Confessing to everything that had been rolling around in his head for the past two months would be a piece of cake. Hopefully.

 He stepped into the room he shared with his boyfriend; a simple but large living space that consisted of a king-sized bed, a soft gray rug, a tall bookshelf, a very large TV, a nightstand, a dresser, closet, and a connected full size bathroom. Simple little knick-knacks decorated the room here and there; two halves of a large amethyst geode on the empty space on the bookshelf, a trio of little ceramic turtles on the window sill next to a collection of small succulents, a few of Steve's sketches framed and hung on the walls. Nothing incredibly fancy or expensive, but it was enough to make them feel comfortable and at home.

 Bucky was lounging on the bed, lazily flipping through a magazine he had borrowed from Natasha. He looked so relaxed, hair pulled back into a bun and clad in freshly laundered sweatpants and long sleeve shirt. His Vibranium hand glinted in the soft afternoon sunlight. Steve hated to bother him, but if he waited any longer, he wouldn't do it at all.

   "Hey." He greeted quietly.

 Bucky looked up and smiled, pushing the magazine to the side. "There you are. Haven't seen you all day, where've you been?"

 Steve hesitated in the doorway for a few moments, fingers drumming on the underside of the tablet. He chewed his lip before sitting on the edge of the bed. Bucky picked up on his anxiety and knitted his eyebrows in worry.

   "Hey, what's wrong? You're shaking like a leaf. Talk to me, Doll."

 Bucky placed his Vibranium hand on Steve's arm, giving a light squeeze in comfort. Just the tiny gesture made Steve feel slightly better. He just hoped Bucky wouldn't be too freaked out. Or leave.

   "I---a little while ago I looking into different forms of stress management. You know, coping mechanisms. And---it---I started reading about one thing, and then that led to another article, and then a blog and---I read about this one type of---it's not really a therapy. It's a---it's more like...role play. And it's an actual form of coping for stress and trauma and---here. Just---just read these."

 He handed the tablet to Bucky and looked down at his lap, cheeks burning and near tears. It was a stupid idea. Everything about it was stupid. But he couldn't take it back.

 Bucky took the device and read through each page slowly, confusion etched across his face as he scrolled. Every once and a while, he would pause and glance to his lover, think for a moment, then continue reading. Steve tried to distract himself by fiddling with the hem of his sleeve, but his heartbeat was a like a drum in his ears. His mind swirled with anxiety and fear. What would Bucky say? What would he think? Would he think he was disgusting? A freak? It all made his heart twist painfully.

 About fifteen minutes later, Bucky set the tablet on his lap once he finished reading everything. His facial expression was neutral, pondering and thoughtful.

   "So...it's not a sex thing. I mean, it can be, but not for you, right?"

   "Yeah, I---it's---the non-sexual aspect is what I'd...want. Need."

 Bucky nodded. "Alright. And it's just...it's role play. You'd be a kid. And act like it. And I would take care of you. Am I getting this right?"

 Steve nodded, wiping away the tears that threatened to spill over. "I know it's weird. But I...I really think age play would help me, Buck. I would just...I wouldn't have to do anything but be...be Little. No adult stuff for a while. No adult worries. Even if it's just for a few hours. I just want...I'm tired. I'm so tired. You don't have to---you wouldn't have to be the one to look after me. If you don't want to. I just wanted to get this out in the open."

 He closed his eyes and let out a shuddering breath, trying to steady himself. It was all so much to unpack in such a small amount of time. Bucky's fingers intertwined with Steve's, giving him an instant rush of comfort.

   "Look at me, Stevie. C'mon, show me those pretty eyes. There we go. Listen to me. I don't really understand much of this. It's definitely different. But that doesn't make it wrong. We've all got ways of dealing with the shit in our heads. Being a kid is better than hurting yourself, that's for damn sure. So, I'll help you. I want to make sure you're alright. I'm with you till the end of line, Doll."

 Steve choked on his sobs as he tackled Bucky in hug, their bodies slamming into the mattress as tears rolled down his cheeks. Bucky loved him. He wanted to understand. He was going to give it a chance. That's all Steve could ever ask for. His whole body shook as Bucky pressed kisses to his cheek and whispered reassurance.

   "Hey, now. Deep breaths. You'll make yourself sick with all that crying. I've got you. I'm here."

   "You're amazing." Steve mumbled into Bucky's neck, breathing in the scent of his soap. "So amazing. I love you. More than anything."

   "Love you, too. C'mon, dry those eyes. You can tell me about all this over lunch. Let's order from Angelo's. Would you like that?"

   "An extra large pepperoni. And those bread sticks. God, those are good."

   "Absolutely."

 

 

 

 Thirty five minutes later, two cardboard boxes of steaming pizza sat on the middle of the bed, along with a styrofoam container of the best bread sticks in world. Steve and Bucky laid on their stomachs together, a tablet between them. Steve had gone back to a website he frequented and was explaining things in more detail.

   "Littles, huh?" Bucky hummed, gesturing vaguely with a bread stick. "Self explanatory, really."

   "Yeah. Different people are different ages in their headspace. Some are teenagers, some are more like little kids. There are entire companies that cater to the really young ones. They're not mainstream, but they exist."

 Steve swiped another slice of pizza, peeling off a pepperoni and popping it in his mouth. He needed to make a list of best pizza places in the city. And complain to the city of Chicago that they had no idea what pizza was.

   "So, where do you fall of this spectrum? I remember when you were fifteen, I don't think I can survive that again."

   "You're such an ass." Steve chuckled, giving Bucky a playful shove. "I wasn't that bad."

   "You threw all ninety pounds asthma and scoliosis at every guy who catcalled."

   "...Shut the hell up."

   "I'm right and you know it. So, where does your headspace fall?"

 Steve shifted a bit and felt a blush creep across his cheeks again. "Uh, I... I've experimented on my own a few times, trying to get my footing. Tried a few different things. I, uh...a baby. About a year or so. Sometimes two. It can vary."

 Bucky raised his eyebrows at that, and Steve braced himself for some form of scrutiny or complaint. But Bucky just smiled fondly.

   "Baby Stevie, huh? That's too damn precious."

   "Don't tease."

   "I'm not! I think it's sweet, really. I can picture it; you toddling around with a teddy bear, wearing those pajamas with the feet."

 Steve did like the look of those pajamas, but didn't feel like admitting that at the moment. There were bigger things to focus on.

   "I need to be completely honest with you, Buck. No beating around the bush. Diapers. I...want them. To use them. I'm sorry. It's disgusting, I know. I-I should have led with that. But you wouldn't have to---I could change myself. And, really, I don't need to have them at all! I'd just need to focus on when I need to go---I'm sorry---"

   "Take a breath!" Bucky exclaimed, cutting off Steve's rant. "You go into a frenzy when you think I'll be upset. Take a second and calm down. Trust me, Doll, I wouldn't be fazed in the slightest at changing a diaper, even if it's yours. I've gotten a lot worse on my hands over the years. And I've already seen your dick. Do they...make you feel better?"

 Steve swallowed his pride and the last of his pizza slice before moving on to nibble a bread stick. He leaned against Bucky's shoulder and shrugged.

   "Yeah. I used some old towels and sewed myself a couple. Found the pattern online. It's nice. They make me feel safe. Wrapped up and warm. It's nice."

 Bucky reached around pushed back some of the blond hair that fell in Steve's face. "Do what you need to do, Babydoll. I won't mind one bit, you know that."

   "I've never met anyone as wonderful as you in my entire life. What did I do to deserve you?"

   "You did a lot of dumb shit and the universe said 'give that man someone who'll make sure he doesn't get himself killed'."

 Steve scowled and hit his boyfriend on the head with the bread stick. He was such an ass.

   "So, what else do you want for this? Clothes, toys? Would you want a bottle?"

 Steve turned back to the tablet, tapping out of one web page and bringing up another. This one focused on selling ABDL products of all types. Steve had made a wish list on the site about a week ago; onesies, diapers, a handful of toys, and, just as Bucky said, a bottle. He clicked the checkout button and gave the tablet to Bucky with a grin. The ex-assassin rolled his eyes, but punched in the credit card info nonetheless. Steve's anxiety started to fade in a fuzzy giddiness as he showed Bucky the different items he had picked. His favorite thing was a large pink plush rabbit with floppy ears and a bow around it's neck. It looked so soft and would be so nice to cuddle with when sleeping.

   "What do you want to call me?" Bucky asked once the order had been placed.

   "Call you?"

   "Yeah, when you're Little. Do you want to just call me Bucky or..."

   "I...Daddy. If that's ok?"

   "Fine by me. I'll do my best. It'll be a learning experience for the both of us."

 Steve sighed deeply and let himself melt in to Bucky, shoulders slumping and muscles releasing tension. He had no damn clue how any of this would end. But at least Bucky was there.


	2. Trial and Error and Kisses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short but sweet

 Over the next two and a half weeks, Steve and Bucky worked out the kinks of their new relationship. It was certainly an unorthodox method of stress management, and not without it's difficulties, but both men were ready and willing to work through it.

 Steve let Bucky get to know him while in his headspace. He was shy at first, unsure of how to act in the presence of another. He had chewed on his thumb and curled in on himself as Bucky had spoken softly and colored with him. But Steve slowly unraveled as the colored pencils wound their way across the paper, childishly scribbling flowers and trees. It had led to a lunch of warm soup that reminded them of the winters back in the thirties when they had no heat and huddled together to fight frostbite. That day ended in a tickle fight and laughter echoing through the bedroom. It made Steve feel warm and fuzzy inside, like his heart was being wrapped in cashmere blankets. Bucky was thrown a bit off when Steve broke into tears over accidentally snapping one his pencils while coloring, unsure of how to exactly comfort him. He eventually had scooped Steve up and lightly bounced him until the cries faded. They slowly worked their way through the more intimate and awkward parts of it, diaper changes and the like. Steve had gone as red as a tomato the first time he had wet himself in front of Bucky, considering stopping the whole thing. But Bucky had merely cooed said that it was alright, because that's what happens with babies and that there was nothing to worry about. Messy diapers came next, which was even more uncomfortable. Bucky was once again the most patient and understanding person in the universe and got Steve cleaned up, even managing to crack a few jokes in the process.

 They discussed boundaries regarding punishments. Both of them knew that there would be some sort of misbehavior or tantrum at some point. Timeouts were agreed upon, the time period depending on the trouble caused. No toys during time out. Running away before time out was over resulted in a time reset. Spanking would only be over the diaper and no more than fifteen swats, and that was only if Steve was be especially unruly. Good behavior would be rewarded.

 The packages they had ordered arrived about two weeks later, unmarked and inconspicuous. Steve played it off as new art supplies, which didn't interest Clint or Tony in the slightest. With no prying eyes around, Steve and Bucky retreated to their bedroom and ordered F.R.I.D.A.Y to keep the others out.

   "You ready?" Bucky asked as he sliced open the first box.

 Steve nodded, jittery and restless. He felt like a shaken bottle of soda, bubbling and ready to burst. It was a mix of happy and nervous energy that all swirled together in his stomach. He watched, thumb ghosting over his bottom lip, as Bucky laid everything out on the bed. Three large onesies, two pairs of footed pajamas, a couple of pacifiers, a big fleece blanket patterned with sleepy sheep, two packages of zoo animal patterned diapers, a bottle, soft building blocks, four different coloring books, a huge package of crayons, and, Steve's favorite thing of all, the soft pink rabbit. He held back a small squeal as Bucky handed him the toy. The fur was so nice to the touch, and it's eyes were big and black and twinkly. It was wonderful. It was all wonderful.

   "I'm glad you like it. I love to see you smile." Bucky hummed, trailing a finger down Steve's cheek. He tickled him under his chin, making Steve giggle and squirm away.

   "God, you're cute. You feeling Little now?"

   "Getting there."

   "Do you want to wait until you've fully dropped?"

 Steve pushed the package of diapers forward with a pout, cuddling his new bunny close. "No, now. I'll slip fully once we get started. C'mon."

   "Alright, alright." Bucky chuckled. "What do you want to wear? Personally, I'm loving this."

 He held up one pair of the footed pajamas; minty green with a smiling frog on the front. A zipper ran down the front of it and ended at the right foot.

   "I like it. Will you undress me?"

 Bucky chuckled and began undoing Steve's shirt bottoms. He made quick work of stripping the taller man of his clothes and throwing them in the laundry basket. Steve blushed lightly as he laid down on the bed and lifted his legs up. Sure, the two of them had seen each other naked countless times, but this was a different kind of intimacy. He felt exposed. Vulnerable. He lifted his thumb to his mouth to suck in self-comfort, using one of his bunny's floppy pink ears to somewhat hide his face. He distracted himself from the plastic crinkles of the diaper by trying to think of an appropriate name for his new toy. What does one name a pink bunny? Hoppy was far too obvious. So was Bun-Bun and Pinky. Giving a toy a name was harder than he expected.

   "There we go, all done." Bucky announced, patting Steve's hip. "Too tight, too loose?"

 Steve sat up and wiggled, testing how his new garment felt. It felt different from the cloth ones he had made from fraying towels. Not as itchy, and no pins to stick him in the sides. It was nice.

   "Feels alright."

   "Ok, stand up." Bucky---Daddy---said. "Let's get you in your pajamas. Aw, look at that tush."

 Steve twisted his head around to look and found that he certainly looked more puffy than when he wore his old cloth diaper. A rather happy looking zebra was positioned right on his bottom. Poor little zebra.

   "Ok, step in. Now the other foot. Good job, baby.  And now the arms...and we zip it up...there. How're you feeling?"

 Steve shifted back on and forth from one foot to the other, letting the soft fuzziness of his headspace fully creep forward and wrap around his brain like a blanket. "Good. Hug?"

 Daddy smiled and wrapped his arms around him, pressing soft kisses to his cheeks. Steve melted into the embrace, sighing in content. He breathed in the scent of familiar honey soap, reminding him of springtime and picnics. He was safe. For the next few hours, nothing would bother him.

   "My Stevie. What would you like to do now, baby boy?"

 Steve put his thumb back in his mouth and shrugged. Now that he had everything, he wasn't sure what to do next.

 Daddy made a tutting noise and grabbed one of the pacifiers that still laid on the bed. "How about this? I'll wash this so you can have it. Then I'll clean up and put everything away and you pick out a movie for us to watch. There are lots of Disney movies now. Does that sound nice?"

 Steve nodded, bouncing on his toes a bit. Disney movies were always fun. He remembered seeing Snow White and Pinocchio and Dumbo in theaters when they first came out. He loved the art work and animation styles the studio produced, and the stories were entertaining no matter your age.

   " _If I may interject, Sergeant Barnes_ ," F.R.I.D.A.Y. spoke, her Irish voice a bit softer than normal. " _I can compile a list of films popular amongst children for Young Steven to choose from_."

 The AI had never called him 'Young Steven' before. It was always Captain Rogers. Steve supposed she had adjusted herself according to the situation.

   "That would be great, F.R.I.D.A.Y., thank you. Where's a good place to hide our stuff?"

   " _I recommend the very back of the closet, underneath the extra blankets. No one shall suspect a thing_."

 Daddy cleaned the pacifier, which Steve popped in his mouth almost immediately. Sucking on the small rubber bulb was a new feeling, but not unpleasant. It was a nice, consistent movement that soothed him and made him feel safe.

 Daddy started to pack everything away, folding the clothes back up and placing them back in the boxes. Meanwhile, Steve picked up the remote as F.R.I.D.A.Y. turned on the TV, presenting a large selection of children's movies. He stared in awe for a moment at all the films at his disposal, before he slowly began clicking the remote to scroll through the options and read each synopsis. Most were about animals. He knew from Tony that Bambi was sad, so he was going to avoid that one entirely. But '101 Dalmatians' looked quite promising.

   "Find something?" Daddy asked, closing the closet door. "Oh, that's a lot of dogs."

   "Awggies." Steve responded, words slurring around his pacifier.

   "That right, lots of doggies. C'mon, let's get comfy."

 The two of them cuddled together as the opening credits began to play. The fleece blanket patterned with dozing sheep was draped over the both of them. Steve let his head fall on his Daddy's chest, listening to his heartbeat and the sound of his breathing. A lazy afternoon watching movies was so wonderfully domestic. A little slice of perfection.


	3. Night Terrors and Make it All Better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve has a PTSD nightmare and Bucky is there to make it better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finals are over and guess who's dropping out of community college? I finally realized that continuing my education was putting me in a bad place both emotionally and mentally, so I said 'no more' and got myself out of a spiral of self-deprecation and anxiety. (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ Yay for me! I'll start looking for a job in the fall. Pray for me.
> 
> Also, feel free to leave comments and suggestions, and check out my other works.
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks for everything!

 The dreams weren't always coherent. They weren't play by plays of past events. It was all a mishmash of gunshots and smoke and yelling and pure, primal fear. Flashes of the battlefield and HYDRA and Ultron and Thanos all swirled together in terrible memories and horrifying fantasies.

 Steve woke up gasping for air like he was drowning, body covered in a cold sweat as he bolted upright. He frantically surveyed the room. It was early, the sun yet to rise. It was quiet apart from his whimpering pants and Bucky beginning to rouse next to him in bed. But he could still hear the screams. He would always hear those screams.

 His chest went tight and his throat felt like it was closing up. He felt tears drip down his cheeks and splatter against his bare chest as his boyfriend sat up and the lights slowly turn to a soft glow. PTSD sucked.

   "Steve? Baby, what is it? Whoa, easy, easy. Steve, look at me. You're alright. It's alright, you're safe. Look, we're home. I'm here."

 Bucky continued his reassurance as Steve shook, trembling like a frightened fawn. The captain registered gentle hands urging him closer and metal fingers moving to cup his cheek. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to focus on his lover's concerned murmurings and soft touches, but those awful images still flashed across his mind.  He felt sick to his stomach and couldn't hold back his silent sobs.

   "Deep breaths. In. And out. And again. That's it, just like you taught me. Focus on my voice, Doll. Just my voice and breathing, that's all you need to think about. I'm not going anywhere, don't worry."

 Bucky peppered his hands and wrists with soft kisses, humming old Cole Porter songs that once echoed through their old Brooklyn apartment. It grounded him. Gave him stability. Reminded him that the worst was behind him. It still hurt. But he knew he was safe. He was home. And Bucky was there. That's all he needed.

 It was after ten minutes of sobbing and gasping breaths that Steve was finally able to slowly come to his senses and quickly made a made a terrible discovery. He shifted and grimaced as lukewarm wet sweatpants clung to his crotch and inner thighs. He looked under the duvet cover and saw he had wet himself during his nightmare, a dark stain on his pants and the bedsheets. Steve wished he would fall into a deep dark hole and never have to face the day ahead of him. Everything was against him at times.

 Bucky took notice of the situation and gave his boyfriend a comforting smile and a kiss on the forehead. "Hey. It's fine. It happens to the best of us. Why don't you take a shower? Get warm and clean, and I'll take care of this. It's ok."

 Steve nodded, too tired and embarrassed to argue. He stumbled his way to the bathroom and peeled off his soiled sweatpants, throwing them in the laundry basket as F.R.I.D.A.Y. wordlessly  turned the shower on. The sound of the water hitting the tiles was comforting in a certain way, letting Steve know he was in a safe place. Not on the battle field. Not on the plane. Not in the ice. Home.

 He stepped into the shower and used Bucky's favorite honey scented liquid soap to scrub away the lingering stickiness of the urine before moving on to wash his whole body. The smell never failed to fill him will a sense of calm. It smelled like Bucky.

 Once he had washed his hair, Steve took a moment to just close his eyes and stand under the streaming water, wishing his pain and fatigue would wash away along with the soap foam. He turned to the shower door and drew a frowny face in the condensation, then wiped it away and doodled a butterfly instead. He used up most of the glass, giving the wings swirling designs and adding a few flowers for good measure. He let himself get lost in the detail and spent maybe five or so minutes dragging his finger along the wet glass.

 Satisfied with his work, Steve shut off the water and stepped out the shower, drying himself off as he padded out to the bedroom.

   "Feeling any better?" Bucky asked, smoothing out a clean sheet in the bed.

   "Sort of. Not really." Steve shrugged. "The mattress ok?"

   "Yeah, it just got on the sheets."

   "I'm so sorry, Buck."

   "Hey, none of that. C'mere. It's nothing to be ashamed off. It's happened to me, remember? Happens to a lot of military guys, according to Sam. It was an accident, that's all."

 Bucky tugged at Steve's hand and urged him to sit down. Metal fingers wound their way through blond locks.

   "I'm here."

 Steve bit his lip and leaned into the touch, releasing a shaking breath. Bucky was there. He was there and he wasn't leaving.

 They sat quietly for a while, Bucky whispering comfort and giving light kisses every now and then. Steve glanced to the closet. He could feel his headspace nagging him to let go, willing him to let his guard down. It would be nice to get in a diaper and his footed pajamas and maybe have a bottle. And Bucky would hold him close and keep him safe and everything would be alright. He needed it.

   "...Daddy, it was a scary dream." Steve finally whimpered, letting his walls crumble and new tears well up.

 Buck---Daddy's face took on an instant looking of understanding. He pulled Steve closer a cooed, running his thumb along the Little's cheekbone.

   "Oh, Stevie. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Daddy's got you, Honey. I've got you."

 Steve was once again a hiccuping, sobbing mess. He shoved his thumb in his mouth, sniffling and feeling ick all over. His tummy felt all swirly and his head hurt and his heart felt all twisted and he hated it. Why did all the bad things have to come back when he slept? Sleep was supposed to make you feel better. It wasn't fair, not one bit. Why did all the bad stuff have to happen to him?

  Through his tears, he registered the towel being wrapped around his hips, and then being scooped up into his daddy's arms entirely. They went into a familiar rocky bouncy walk around the room, Daddy rubbing circles on his back.

   "Shh, shh, shh. I know, I know. It was a real bad one this time, wasn't it? It's ok, I promise. You're safe, I'm safe. We're all safe in the compound, Honey."

 Steve placed his head on his Daddy's chest and relished in the vibrations of his voice and the consistent thumping of his heart. He clutched at the fabric of his shirt tightly, wiping away his snot on the sleeve as he wailed. Daddy didn't seem to mind. He merely patted his head and pressed a kiss to his tear stained cheek. They did that for a while, just rocking and swaying murmuring old Gaelic lullabies until Steve's crying faded to soft whimpers. 

   "Let's get you in a diaper and jammies, hmm? Get you all comfy cozy and we'll have some quiet time."

 Daddy gently placed Steve on the bed and went to the closet, sifting through the clothes and blankets until he found the boxes of supplies.

   "Look, Honey" He sang, holding up and wiggling Steve's bunny. "Candy's here to cheer you up."

 After some careful deliberation, Steve had decided that his bunny would be named Candy, because her fluffy pink fur reminded him of the cotton candy from Coney Island. Candy was a wonderful playmate and an excellent listener. Steve trusted her with his most important secrets, knowing she would never tell a soul.

 Steve took his toy with a pitiful whine while his Daddy turned back to the boxes to get pajamas. He hugged Candy close, burying his face in her fluff. She smelled like clean laundry.

   "Had a bad dream, Candy. Bad bad. Scary bad." Steve whispered to his bunny.

 Candy frowned sadly and told Steve that she was sorry that he had so many bad dreams. Of course, only Steve could understand her. Grown ups couldn't speak toy.

   "Honey, lie down so I can put your diaper on." Daddy told him. He held the undergarment in one hand and dark blue footed pajamas in the other. Steve flopped back on the bed, the impact making the pillows bounce a bit.

   "Baba?" He asked as he lifted his hips.

   "I can make you a bottle. Warm milk or tea?"

   "Milk. With 'nilla?"

   "With vanilla. Are you ok waiting here while I go get it?"

 While Steve didn't like the idea of his Daddy leaving him, he knew it would only take five minutes. And F.R.I.D.A.Y. had turned the lights to nightlight mode so that soft orange stars that were projected and made to slowly rotate around the walls and ceiling, making the room feel serene. Deciding that he could be brave for at least five minutes, Steve nodded. However, he wasn't feeling a hundred percent brave, so he hid under the covers while he waited for his Daddy to return, his sheep patterned blankey tucked around him. He also had Candy peek out over the blankets as a lookout, just to be safe. She was the bravest bunny Steve knew, so the little captain was confident that she could get the job done. You should never underestimate a bunny.

 Daddy came back in only four minutes, lightly shaking a bottle of milk with a gentle smile. He held a steaming mug in the other hand, which smelled like coffee. Steve wrinkled his nose at the cup. Coffee was great when he was Big, but super icky when he was Little.

   "Baba, baba." Steve whined, hands reaching out and grasping at the air.

   "Oh, this? You want this?" Daddy asked, his voice playful and teasing. "Hmm, I don't know. I might keep it for myself, it looks pretty yummy."

 He made a show of looking from the bottle to the mug, eyebrows furrowed in mock deliberation. Steve frowned, huffed, and whined. He was in no mood for games at the moment, especially when it came to his bottle.

   "I'm only joking, Stevie, don't give me that face. Here, drink up."

 The rubber nipple was immediately popped into Steve's mouth the moment the bottle was handed over. Warm milk sweetened with delicious vanilla washed over his tongue, making his whole body go happily fuzzy. He fell into a gentle rhythm of suckling, taking his time to enjoy the warmth and flavor. With one hand on the bottle, he pushed the pillows back into place so he could lean back. Daddy laid down next him, setting the coffee on the side table and propping his head up with his metal hand.

   "How're you feeling now, Honey?"

 Steve paused in his drinking and thought for a moment. He didn't feel sick to his stomach anymore, so that was good. He no longer had a headache. The shaking had stopped. But his heart still ached. There was always a little pain in Steve's heart, but it always hurt the most after bad dreams. They brought back all the pain and loss from years past and pulled him down like undertow. How was he feeling? Still bad. But Steve knew it wouldn't last forever. The happy would come back in a little while. So would the pain. But that's just how things worked.

   "Stevie? You alright, baby?" Daddy asked.

 Steve blinked, snapping out of his thought. He nodded and resumed drinking his milk. Daddy sighed wearily and scooted closer, draping his arm over Steve like a blanket.

   "I'll make you pancakes in the morning." He muttered into the baby's cheek. "With lots of strawberries and whipped cream. Some syrup. That sound good?"

   "Mmm-hmm."

   "With a side of bacon. Some eggs, too. Or an omelet. Maybe a---are you going poop? You're making a poop, aren't you? Little stinker, I just changed you."

 Steve's diaper crinkled as he pushed the last of his mess out. He shrugged. When you had to go, you had to go. And he had to go really bad.

   "No rest for the wicked. Alright, come on. Back to the bathroom."

 Steve held up his milk. "Not done."

   "Fine, go ahead and finish, Mr. Poopy Pants. I'll get the stuff."

 Steve happily drank his bottle as his Daddy rolled of the bed with an exaggerated groan and shuffled back to the closet to get another diaper. Yeah, things would be alright.


	4. Secrets Spilled

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit short, but I felt it necessary 
> 
> Feel free to leave comments and suggestions, I love having feedback

 No one was supposed to find out. It was supposed to be Steve and Bucky's private downtime where they could both relax and not worry. They took multiple precautions to ensure that no one else in the compound became aware of what they did. Internet histories were erased on the regular. No one was allowed in their room when Steve was having 'Little Time', and F.R.I.D.A.Y was to alert them of any emergencies. Every bit of supplies was meticulously packed away in the closet each time. Steve and Bucky expertly covered their tracks and had every intention of taking it all to their graves. But they didn't take into account the possibility of poor packaging and their newest order of diapers and a brightly colored sippy cup going skittering across the common room floor in front of a good number of the Avengers. Steve had gone frozen for a moment, face going pale as his teammates stared at the contents of the box in confusion. Then he bolted, swerving through the hallways until he reached the bedroom, where he proceeded to barricade himself in the bathroom. He would never live it down. He could never face them again.

 Steve remained in the bathroom for a while, hugging his legs to his chest and dropping his head on his knees. The shame curled around him, squeezing him like a constricting snake. It was swallowing him whole. It was awful. He berated himself for being so careless. For giving in to such ridiculous desires. Another part of him winced at his scolding and hated to think of his Little side as something to be ashamed of. It was all a headache.

He was in there for over an hour before he heard a light knocking.

   "Steve, it's me." Bucky's voice came from the other side of the bathroom door.

   "They kicking us out?" Steve replied in a monotone voice. Alright, that was a bit extreme and he knew it. But he was still bracing himself for scrutiny. The averted eyes. The horrible silence. Captain America, the giant baby. Maybe he should just fake his death. Go to Ireland. Be a potato farmer. That would be Plan B.

   "They saw what it was and there was no use in trying to hide it, Doll." Bucky continued, ignoring Steve's comment. "I explained it to them the best I could."

   "And?"

   "And they don't really understand it." Bucky admitted. "They have a lot of questions. But they're not judging you, Steve."

 The captain scoffed and bitterly flicked away a stray piece of lint that clung to his shirt.

   "They get it...sort of." Bucky continued. "They know that everyone handles things differently. Everyone needs an outlet. Sam's known all sorts of guys at the VA who do...different things to deal with their trauma. They're just glad you're not hurting yourself. Tony said, and I'm quoting him, 'Who gives a damn if Cap acts like a kid, it's better than heroin.' They're reading the articles you showed me. They want to understand, Steve, they really do. Can I please come in?"

 Steve weighed his options, figured that there was no harm in it, then unlocked the door. Bucky shuffled in and joined him on the bathmat, sighing heavily as he leaned against the bathtub.

   "We'll work through it, we always do. Minor setback." He assured, pecking him on the cheek.

   "Do I have to talk to them now?" Steve frowned. He really wasn't up to seeing his friends just yet.

   "No, you can wait. They need time to read up and process all this, anyway. F.R.I.D.A.Y.'s helping them sort through a lot of it. But you will need to face them at some point. I'll be with you when you do, don't worry.

   "Mmm." Steve hummed, letting his head drop on his boyfriend's shoulder. Bucky kissed his cheek again, stubble scratching against Steve's freshly shaven face. It was a bit uncomfortable, but Steve had come to love the beard rubbing against his skin whenever Bucky kissed him. The pokes from the tiny rough hairs tickled and reminded him that it wasn't all a dream. He moved and sat up straighter so that he could return the gesture, lips light against Bucky's cheekbone.

   "Thanks for putting up with me."

   "It's not 'putting up with you', it's loving you. And Little Time helps me, too."

   "How?"

 Bucky sighed heavily and slung his arm around Steve's shoulders. He seemed very tired for a moment, his shoulders slumping. The long haired man gnawed at his lip for a few moments before responding with a light shrug.

   "I think...it's the aspect of being in charge, I guess. HYDRA had complete control of me for so long, I'd forgotten what it was like to make decisions. But when you're my baby, you let me decide a lot of things; what's for lunch, what story we should read. And even putting you in time out---don't get me wrong, I don't enjoy punishing you---but there's something about it that...I don't know, lets me know I'm real? That my actions are coming from my own head and not from commands. I like our age-play. I want to do this. Steve, don't think for a second that any of this is a burden."

 And in that moment, Steve fell in love all over again. Bucky was the most wonderful, patient, understanding man in the universe and Steve would never be able to thank him enough for everything he had ever done. No one had ever taken the time to listen like Bucky did. No one supported and understood him like Bucky did. Sure, they could try, but Bucky Barnes was a tier above all. They were both pretty damn screwed up. But at least they were together.

 

 

 Steve stood awkwardly with Bucky in front of the rest of the team the next day. Wanda, Vision, Rhodey, and Thor had been absent when the whole fiasco had unfolded, but they had been given a brief rundown from the others from Bucky a few hours afterward. They were coming clean about the whole thing, they might as well tell everyone. Steve's anxiety about revealing everything had faded to a more 'ah, screw it, let's get this over with' mentality. That didn't stop the slight blush that spread across his cheeks when the questions started.

   "If I'm understanding this correctly, it's a method of healing the mind?" Thor inquired. "Almost like a...a meditative state to achieve calm, correct?"

   "Pretty much." Steve nodded. "It gives me the chance to unwind and not have to think for a while."

 The God of Thunder made a noise of understanding as Clint raised his hand like a student. Bucky motioned for the archer to speak.

   "Are you aware when you're doing this or do you, like, forget, or...?"

   "It's not like hypnosis. It's...I fall into a mindset. It's not like I'm a real baby, I just act the part. Well, it's not all acting, I guess." Steve answered with a vague motion of his hands. "I'm still me when I'm Little. I remember everything that happens."

 Natasha spoke next, her expression and voice gentle, as if she feared that speaking to loudly would cause the Captain to flee. She was the one who was taking most of the situation in stride.

   "Want do you do? While you're Little?"

   "Uh, basic kid stuff, really. I have blocks and coloring books. Play pretend, read stories. Pillow forts are fun. I'll color while I watch movies. Bucky's mean and won't let me have finger paint anymore."

   "Not true!" The ex-assassin interrupted, looking scandalized. "I said no more finger paint until we get tarps to lay down. You were this close to ruining the rug!"

 Steve crossed his arms frowned. He didn't pout, not at all. It was frowning, there was a difference.

   "You thought I was cute covered in paint, you took pictures."

 A chuckle rippled through the team. Wanda covered her mouth with her hand to try and suppress her giggles. Tony didn't exactly laugh, but rather gave an amused scoff and smirk. Sam was grinning quite broadly. Steve let out a breath that he didn't even know he was holding, relieved that tension wasn't growing. He and Bucky continued to go around the room and answer questions to the best of their ability for a little while longer. Steve even allowed them to view a few snippets of security footage from their room that showed him playing or napping. Wanda was practically gushing over how cute he was while cuddling with Candy, and Clint had begun to tell them about all the trouble his own children had gotten into when they were younger. Steve took notice of the happy glimmer in Bucky's eye as he showed everyone the pictures from the finger paint incident. He really did love it.

   "So, will we ever get to meet the baby?" Tony asked at one point, his voice somewhat eager. Steve was surprised, having expected Tony to keep his distance regarding the whole thing.

   "You want to meet me while I'm Little?"

   "Only if you're alright with it." Natasha said quickly, shooting Tony a look. "We don't want to make you overwhelmed. If you don't feel comfortable hanging around us while in your headspace, that's fine."

 Steve chewed his lip in careful thought, glancing from person to person. It was certainly a big decision. He'd never been around anyone else while he was Little. At least, not in person. He and Bucky had taken to anonymously messaging on ABDL chat rooms. It was nice talking to like minded people and getting advice. There were some really nice people on those sites. But to actually be in a room with someone other than Bucky while in his headspace...it was such a scary thought. But there was an odd, happy fluttering in his stomach at the thought of sitting with Natasha and Bruce as a movie played softly in the background, Candy tucked under his arm. Or having a bottle while Sam or Tony read a story book. Or putting together a puzzle with Wanda. Those thoughts made his heart feel fuzzy in a good way.

   "...I mean...Bucky would have to there, obviously." Steve said, tugging at the hem of his shirt. "And I'd probably be pretty shy at first. And not everyone at once. But...I think it might be nice."

 It would be a weird little family. But still a family.


	5. A Different Kind of Team Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to leave comments, and pretty please leave scenario suggestions! (✿◠‿◠)

 They had all drawn lots, deciding that meeting Steve in small groups was the best way not to overwhelm anyone. The first random group consisted of Natasha, Tony, and Bruce, which Steve was silently thankful for. They were some of the people he'd known the longest and was closest to. Steve would probably be the most comfortable around them. Even with that in mind, it didn't stop the bubbling anxiety in the captain's stomach. The day of the meeting, Steve was rather quiet as he got ready.

   "Handsome boy." Daddy cooed as he helped Steve put on a pair of fleece pajama pants over his onesie. "Such a cutie. Alright, you're all set. You feeling ok?"

 Steve shrugged, fiddling with Candy's ear. His tummy felt all swirly and kind of icky. Not super horrible, but still a bit off. He scrunched his toes in the fuzz of the carpet in worry.

   "It's fine if you don't want to do this. I can go and tell them you're not ready to meet them yet."

   "No." Steve shook his head. "Want to try."

 Daddy gave him a quick peck on the cheek and ruffled his hair. "You're being very brave. I'm proud of you. My brave baby. Right then."

 Daddy picked a tote bag off the bed, slinging it over his shoulder and looking over the contents one last time. "I've got your blocks, your coloring books, crayons, binky. Bottle is here..."

   "Blankie?"

   "I've got your blanket, you have Candy. We'll come back here for a diaper change and naptime, there are snacks in the kitchenette...I think we've got everything. You ready, Honey?"

 Steve nodded and raised his arms up. Daddy groaned dramatically as he gathered him in his arms, exaggerating every step he took as if Steve weighed a million pounds. He complained and moaned, going on about how was too old to carry such a big boy. The act elicited a few giggles from the baby. But Steve went quiet again when they entered the common area, looking over his Daddy's shoulder at the small group of waiting grown-ups. They were all on the couch, just watching him. Waiting.

   "Stevie, look." Daddy cooed softly. "Can you say hi to your friends?"

 The little captain gave the tiniest wave before hiding his face in his Daddy's long hair. He heard the three other adults chuckle a bit, with a tiny hint of 'aww'.

   "Good job, Honey. Why don't we go sit down? I'll still hold you, don't worry. There we go. See, they won't bite."

 Steve clung to his Daddy's shirt and observed the adults from behind strands of brown hair as they settled on the couch. Tony looked curious, watching him much like someone watching a zoo animal, but his face was still soft. Bruce and Natasha's expressions were a bit more gentle, smiling slightly in an attempt to make Steve feel a bit more ease. Natasha held a box in her lap with a bow stuck to the top.

   "Hey, little guy." Tony said, leaning forward. "We couldn't wait to meet you. It was getting boring out here."

 Steve whimpered a bit, thumb going in his mouth. Tony's big grin was all teeth and sort of creepy. His wide eyes didn't help, either. He was trying too hard to look friendly and it wasn't working.

   "Daddy..." Steve whined around his thumb as his tummy did a flip.

   "Give him some space, Tony." Bruce scolded the inventor. "And ease up on the smile, you look like Pennywise."

 Tony deflated, looking slightly ashamed as Natasha attempted to soothe the distressed Little. The spy shushed him gently and held her hands up in a sign of peace.

   "It's ok, it's ok." She fretted, eyebrows knitted in uncertainty.

 Daddy bounced him, petting at his hair as Steve fussed. "Tony didn't mean to scare you, Babydoll. He's just excited to meet you. Shh, shh."

 Steve felt the sting of tears gathering in his eyes. He wound his arms around his Daddy's sides and did his hardest not to cry. He couldn't let his first meeting start with tears. He wanted everything to go right. But it was all so new and different and it made his stomach queasy. Maybe meeting the others wasn't such a good idea. Couldn't things just be easy for once?

   "Natasha, there's a pacifier in the bag, can you grab it?"

   "Uh, yeah, hold on a minute..."

 The rubber bulb of Steve's binky was pressed against his lips a moment later, which he accepted without hesitation. He stared at Natasha with wet eyes as he worriedly sucked. The woman gave a sympathetic smile. Steve liked Natasha's smile. It wasn't forced or overeager like Tony's had been. Instead, Natasha looked hopeful and welcoming, her eyes soft and concerned.

   "There you go." The spy said, speaking gently as if she feared Steve would break into sobs at any moment. "No need to cry. That's it, you're alright. Tony, apologize for scaring the baby."

   "Ah, right, came on a bit too strong, huh? Sorry about that, little guy. Look, it's ok. I'm not so bad. Your bunny, though? That's a top notch bunny right there."

 Steve looked to the pink rabbit in his hands and nodded. He had made sure that Candy had been ready to meet everyone as well. First impressions were everything. Candy took a moment to look Tony over before telling Steve that she approved of the genius.

   "She's very pretty." Natasha praised. "And such a lovely bow. I bet you take good care of her."

 Steve nodded eagerly. He _did_ take good care of Candy. He tucked her in when it was bedtime, and shared his snacks with her, and made sure she never got too dirty. She was his friend, of course he was going to treat her right.

   "Do you think she would like a friend?" Bruce asked, nudging Natasha gently. "We all got together and decided to get you something. Two things, actually."

 Steve examined the box Natasha held out to him. It wasn't a wrapped gift, but rather nicely patterned box with a lid. It wasn't huge, but not tiny either. The blue bow on top was incredibly sparkly and made of curling ribbons. Steve took hold of the end of one of the ribbons, pulled, then let go and managed to smile when it sprang back into place.

   "I think just giving him the bow will be fine." Daddy grinned as Steve continued to play with the decoration. "Sweetheart, don't you want to see what your friends got for you? We can keep the ribbon if you want, but let's see your present."

 Peeling the bow off carefully, Steve stuck it to his Daddy's metal arm before easing the lid off the box. Sitting atop lavender tissue paper was an adorable and familiar rubber giraffe toy and a hardback storybook titled 'Stellaluna'. Steve picked up the giraffe first. He'd seen it before; it seemed every baby he passed on the street or in the grocery store was in possession of that little toy.

   "That's Sophie the Giraffe." Tony said as Steve ran his fingers over the smooth material. "Number one teething toy on the freaking planet. Everyone has a Sophie these days. Give her a squeeze."

 The squeak the toy made Steve light up and squeal in delight. Daddy said something about it being a new way to drive him crazy, but Steve ignored the comment. He turned his attention to the book next. The cover depicted a little beige bat on a tree branch at dusk, with three small birds flying off in the background. Natasha tapped the picture of the bat.

   "I think you'll like this story. The little bat gets lost, but she finds a new family with a group of birdies. It kind of reminds me of all of us."

 They were wonderful presents. Steve practically shoved the items in his Daddy's face to show them off, grinning up a storm.

   "I see, Honey. We can read that book at bedtime. Now, what do you say to your friends for such nice gifts?"

 Steve looked back to the others, removed his binky, and whispered 'thank you' while hugging his presents to his chest. Natasha and Bruce beamed as Tony made a choked sort of noise. They liked him. They actually liked him. Feeling a bit braver, Steve reached out toward Natasha. He felt the most comfortable with her for whatever reason. Bruce and Tony were nice, but the redhead seemed more cuddly.

   "Tasha."

 The spy took his hands and allowed him to simply fiddle with her fingers and bracelet while she rubbed her thumbs across the Little's palms.

   "маленький зайчи. You're a little bunny, aren't you? You're darling."

 Oh, but he could be cuter. Steve had a special set of skills that could maximize his adorableness. He normally saved them for when he wanted his Daddy to spoil him or give him treats. But instead of being wicked and making Natasha melt with his puppy dog eyes, he shook his head and ducked his face back behind Candy.

   "Don't go hiding on us now. Where's that pretty smile? Hmm? Where'd you go, Stevie? Hey, you know what? I bet Tony would know how to make an amazing tower. Want to show him your blocks?"

 Steve looked to the billionaire hopefully. Tony was an inventor, after all. He would definitely know how to build the best block tower.

   "Tony? Play?"

   "I, uh...sure, kid." Tony replied after a few seconds of shock. "You have blocks, or...?"

   "Down, down, down." Steve wiggled out of his Daddy's lap and sat in the ground, pulling the tote bag closer and pulling out all the soft blocks for Tony to see. They were different shapes and sizes and colors. Steve had once made a fairly accurate recreation of the compound using them and had been quite proud of it.

   "Yeah, I can work with these." Tony nodded, sliding off the sofa and sitting on the floor as well. "What should we make, Baby Cap?"

   "Castle." Steve said simply, beginning to sort through some of the blocks.

   "Got it. Should your bunny be the Queen?"

   "Yeah."

   "And you'll be the King?"

   "No." Steve shook his head. "Daddy."

   "Of course, what was I thinking? Can I be the Royal Advisor?"

   "...No. Tasha 'visor."

 Tony pouted. "Then what am I?"

   "Mmm...jester."

   "You calling me a clown?"

   "Yes."

 Daddy broke down into laughter, throwing his head back and cackling while Natasha grinned in pride. Bruce snorted and failed to hide his smile at Tony's dismay. It was nice.


	6. The Forgotten Guest Offers Great Assistance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a while. With school over, I've been taking the time to sleep in until after noon. 
> 
> Please leave comments and suggestions, you guys are my lifeblood. I love you all (✿◠‿◠)

 With everything out in the open, Steve and Bucky no longer had to tiptoe around in fear of their secret being uncovered. It was a weight of both their shoulders. Making excuses of where they had been, rushing to hide any box that got delivered, and practically barricading themselves in their room during Little Time had been exhausting. They were now free to roam about the communal floors of the Avengers compound, which was incredibly beneficial in the end. There was full access to the large kitchenette and living room, allowing space for Steve to play, and for Bucky to make meals and bottles and not have to balance it all back to the bedroom. And Steve was more than eager to play with the compound inhabitants.

 When not teetering behind Bucky like a duckling following it's mother, the little captain could often be found in the company of at least one of his newfound aunts or uncles. Thor would carry him about and play wrestle and tickle, entertaining him stories of Asgard and the beasts that once called it home. Wanda would amaze him by making his toys float and dance using her powers and partake in coloring and tea parties. Natasha, Bruce, Sam, Rhodey, and Vision took the more quiet approach of story books and nature documentaries and jigsaw puzzles. Tony being Tony, gifted Steve with an insanely large collection of Duplo and the two them spent hours constructing towns and towers and castles. They had all created a new form of teamwork in order to keep the Little placated and relatively tantrum free. The key word was 'relatively'. Steve was a baby, sometimes a toddler, of course there would be a hissy fit thrown from time to time. Mostly over rather simple or illogical things, as is with most children; he didn't want to eat the green peppers in his lunch, he wanted to watch another movie and not have a nap, his shoelaces had come untied. Frustrated tears came first, then sad tears after being scolded or sent to a time out or a few swats to his bottom. He normally calmed down after thirty minutes or so, followed by reassurance from his Daddy that he wasn't a bad boy and that he had just made a bad choice in the moment.

 Steve was on the verge of a tantrum that afternoon. Well, not exactly a tantrum. But he was close to a meltdown as he tore off his bedsheets and tossed his pillows to the side. He whimpered, rooting through the linens once again and turning up empty.

   "No. No, no. Where---no!"

 Candy was gone. Steve had just woken up from his afternoon nap earlier than usual to find his bunny friend missing in action. He checked the entire bedroom and even the bathroom. She wasn't in or under the bed, in the closet, under the dresser, or in any of the drawers. She was just gone without a trace.

 Groggy, worried, and in a wet diaper, Steve did the only logical thing and burst into tears, turning on his heel and dashing out of the room and towards the common area to find his Daddy. How could Candy just go missing? She was capable of many great things, but moving on her own was not one of them. Steve classified the situation as an emergency.

 He skidded to a stop in the common room, stumbling as he rubbed at the tears falling down his cheeks. He opened his mouth to wail and express his misery, but froze on the spot when he caught sight of who was on the sofa; Prince Loki, co-ruler of New Asgard.

 It had taken months of conferences, explanations of Thanos' manipulation, pledges of loyalty to the planet, and a worldwide broadcasted apology for Loki to not be imprisoned for the rest of his life or exiled from the Earth. Thor's giant axe and steely gaze also probably played a part. The God of Mischief did not earn the team's trust quickly. There may not have been any trust there at all, but there was a collective feeling of 'as long as you don't try and destroy us again, you can stay'. The younger prince was on casual and business-like speaking terms with them all. Even with Clint, after punching the trickster in the jaw.

 Steve had completely forgotten that Loki had been scheduled to visit the compound and touch base with Thor and the team. In his panic of losing his beloved friend, he had forgotten that his original plan had been to avoid the God of Mischief and stay in his room while in his headspace. Well, that plan was out the window now.

 Overwhelmed by it all, the little captain dissolved into full blown sobs, legs giving out and falling down on his soggy bottom. Things could never be easy, could they? The God of freaking Mischief just had to see him at his weakest, didn't he? The taunts would be horrible. The constant mockery would be unbearable. Would luck ever be in his favor?

 Steve sat, wailing and covering his face as the adults fretted and floundered. Daddy wasn't there, Steve wasn't sure where he was, which made it even worse. He was wet and cold and still sleepy and everything was terrible. But slender arms were wrapped around him, hoisting him up off the floor and bringing him close to an unfamiliar chest. Steve wound his legs around the person's waist out of instinct, throwing his arms around the shoulders of whoever had picked him up.

   "Calm yourself, dear one. There's no need for such tears." A calm voice crooned in Steve's ear, smooth and soft like a breeze through a wheat field. Loki. Loki was holding him. Loki was rocking him and patting his back. Part of Steve wanted to wiggle free of the embrace and go hide. But the other part was so tired and desperate to be comforted, that the Little let his head drop on the trickster's shoulder and snuggle closer. Loki was warm and smelled like mint. His black suit was soft and clean. Long black hair tickled at Steve's nose as they swayed side to side. Why was there such a feeling of comfort and safety in the arms of the man who had once tried to kill him?

   "What are you doing?" Bruce asked the prince incredulously.

   "Well, you all were flailing about like chickens without heads, and I'm not simply going to leave him of the ground." Loki shrugged causally, petting Steve's hair. "Oh, dear boy, you'll make yourself sick with all this crying. Don't fret, everything is going to be just fine."

 Steve sucked in a stuttering breath and tried to steady himself as Loki began to slowly stroll about the room, doing the same bouncing motion that Daddy did. He was a natural, seemingly well versed in child care and unfazed by Steve's crying.

   "That's a good boy. Just relax. You poor thing, you're still tired. No wonder you're in such a tizzy, you didn't finish your nap. A bit more rest would do you well."

   "Uh-uh!" Steve shook his head. How could he go back to sleep when Candy was missing? It was a level ten situation, there was time for naps!

 Loki patted the baby's back again. "Hush, hush. Can you tell me what has you so worked up? Perhaps I can help."

   "M-M-My buh---my bunny." Steve managed to sniffle after a moment. "She's g-gone."

   "You've misplaced your rabbit? A doll?"

   "Mmm-hmm."

   "That is a cause for concern. Well, I'm quite sure she's around here somewhere. I doubt she would hop off without you. Let's have a sit down and take a moment to breathe."

 The other few Avengers that were in the room stared at the trickster as he sat back down, Steve on his lap. Loki drew a handkerchief from his suit pocket and wiped the Little's face free of tears and snot.

   "I wasn't aware there were Child-Minded on Midgard. Though, I suppose they can pop up anywhere."

   "Child-Minded?" Bruce inquired.

   "Those who find comfort and shelter in a state of mental youth. It's more taboo in some places than others, but there are always Child-Minded wherever you go in the universe."

   "Oh. They're called Littles here."

   "A fitting title. He is a little one, isn't he? Aren't you, darling?"

 Loki wriggled his fingers under Steve's chin, earning him a teary smile. Perhaps against his better judgement, the baby was enjoying the trickster's company. There was no hostility in his expression or voice. No anger or disgust. Just...peace.

   "How are you aware of such people?" Thor asked his brother. "I only just learned of this not two months ago."

 The God of Mischief swiped some hair off Steve's forehead and smoothed it back into place. "As I said, it's frowned upon in certain places. Asgard was one of them. The Child-Minded found refuge in anyone that wouldn't shun them. You were blissfully ignorant in your youth."

   "...Indeed, I was." Thor muttered thoughtfully, pursing his lips and furrowing his brows.

 Loki turned his attention back to Steve, a gentle smile on his face and a hand on the baby's cheek. His touch was so soft, as if he feared the captain would shatter like glass. It was such a drastic contrast to their first encounter with each other. Funny how life turned out.

   "Now then, little one. Where did you last see your rabbit?"

   "In bed. Naptime. But not there now." Steve sniffled as he toyed with Loki's snake shaped cufflinks.

   "Hmm. And you checked your whole room?"

   "Everywhere."

   "And you're positive that she was in the bed with you?"

   "Uh-huh."

 Loki made a sympathetic noise as Steve snuggled closer and sniffled again. "Well, she must still being the building. Perhaps she got mixed up in your laundry?"

 Steve's lip wobbled as his eyes went wide. The thought of Candy spinning around and around in the dark, scary washing machine was downright terrifying. She would get soap in her eyes and water up her nose and---and---

   "Nice going, Your Highness." Natasha deadpanned as Steve began to fuss. Loki recoiled slightly at the spy's glare.

   "I didn't know it would upset him! Darling, I'm sure she's around here somewhere! Uh---oh! Steven, look here! What's this?"

 Loki's fingers emitted a soft green glow as the danced about the air, turning and swirling about as if weaving something. Steve watched in fascination, tears momentarily forgotten, as a shape began to take form in mid-air. It looked like a blob at first, but a head quickly sprouted, followed by a tail and legs. Lots of legs. The prince soon held a stuffed toy in his hand; an eight legged horse that was as black as night.

   "This is Sleipnir, the fastest and most loyal of steeds in all the Realms. He can keep you company while we search for your rabbit. It's alright, you can take him. He's for you."

 Steve curled his fingers around the soft of material of his new toy, amazed by the act of magic he'd just witnessed. Sleipnir was so soft and silky, and his extra legs were no doubt key to his legendary speed. Yes, Steve approved of the horse.

   "Thank 'oo." He told Loki, voice muffled by the toy's fur. Loki merely nodded and  continued to mess with the baby's hair.

   "You're good with him." Clint muttered, not looking at the prince as he spoke.

   "It matters not if their youth is physical or mental, I do adore infants. That surprises most people."

   "I wonder why?" Natasha said sarcastically.

 Loki ignored the comment and continued his thought. "Infants do not judge your sins. Children do not scorn your past. They just wish for love. That's what we all wish for. It shouldn't be denied."

 The trickster's hand ran soothingly around Steve's back in circles. He looked kind of sad. Yes, there was still a small smile on his face, but his green eyes were swimming with longing and slight remorse as he praised Steve for being such a sweet boy. There was something more to his story, but Steve wasn't in the right mindset to press further questions. That could wait until he was Big.

 Steve looked to Natasha wearily. "Daddy?"

   "He'll be up in a minute, he went to grab some laundry. You want a snack? Some juice?"

   "Uh-uh." Steve denied, sticking his thumb in his mouth and letting his head drop back against Loki's chest. He was too tired, inside and outside. Just sitting was pretty nice. So he let his eyes droop as Natasha patted his cheek.

   "маленький зайчи. You---Steve, look, Daddy's back."

 Steve snapped to attention, sitting up and looking over Loki's shoulder to see his Daddy enter the common room with a basket of unfolded laundry under one arm. The whine that escaped his mouth could be described as pitiful as he reached out his arms.

   "Stevie? Honey, what are you doing awake?"

   "Daddy!"

   "James, I believe this little one is yours." Loki sighed, rising from the sofa with Steve in his arms. "The poor dear is having a rather rough day. I kept him content as long as I could, but he's quite distressed."

 Daddy set the laundry down as the baby was handed to him. "Thanks, Loki. Babydoll, what's wrong?"

   "Candy! G-Gone!"

   "It seems he's misplaced his doll." Loki clarified.

 Daddy made a noise of understanding and bent down to rifle through the clean clothes he'd brought up. Underneath a pair of jeans and t-shirt was Steve's beloved bunny. Relief washed over the baby like a tidal wave as the toy was pressed into his hands. He reveled in her soft fur and clean smell for a few moments before the realization of what had happened kicked in. Daddy had taken Candy during naptime and put her _in the washing machine_.

   "You---take---no!" Steve nearly screeched, smacking his Daddy on the chest. "No take!"

   "Don't hit. And indoor voice please. Candy needed to get clean."

   "Didn't know! J-Just gone! Didn't---didn't---mine! Have to know!"

 If Candy had to be taken away for a while, then at the very least he should know where she was going to be put. He had the right to know where the things he loved were. He couldn't lose anything anymore. His heart couldn't take it.

 Daddy winced, both at realizing his mistake and at Steve's teary red face. "I didn't mean to upset you, Babydoll. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have taken her without you knowing. I won't do it again."

   "No wash machine."

   "Candy has to be cleaned up every now and then, you know that."

   "No. Dark. And scary."

 Daddy sighed. "I'll try hand washing if it'll make you feel better."

 With one last half whine half sob, Steve buried his face in his Daddy's shoulder, sniffling and holding his stuffed toys close. It had been a long day. And it wasn't even two o'clock yet.

   "I think continuing naptime would be for the best." Loki suggested. "And I believe he's in need of a change."

   "That's what I was thinking. Thanks again for handling him."

   "No trouble at all. Rest up, little one. I hope we can meet again when you're in a better mood."

 Steve nodded, deeming Loki as a new uncle and future playmate. There was no doubt in his mind that the trickster would be an excellent storyteller.

 Daddy picked the laundry back up and took Steve to the bedroom, baby balanced on one hip and the basket on the other.

   "I'm real sorry you got so worked up, Stevie. But I think there's more to it than just Candy going missing. There something else on your mind?"

 Steve merely shrugged. There _was_ something else to his outburst, but he wasn't so good with words when he was Little.

   "We don't have to talk about it right now, but maybe when you're Big? That sound ok?"

   "M'kay. Go pee-pee." Steve declared sleepily. He squirmed as his diaper soaked up the liquid, saturated material squishing uncomfortably against his Daddy's metal hand.

   "Jeez, you're soaked! Come on, let's get you clean and back to bed. Hmm? Yeah, back to bed."

 Through his drowsy haze, Steve registered being laid on the bed and a diaper change beginning, but he quickly fell asleep with Candy and Sleipnir tucked close to his heart.


	7. For Your From Us

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading! I'm so glad that so many of you liked this. This is the end of this story, but not the end of my works. Take a look on my page for a handful of other stories, and I will eventually be posting a new small series revolving around Spider-Man and a magical girl because I'm anime trash. Thank you all again.  
> \-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  "Hey, Cap. Help me out for a sec." Tony called from his spot leaning against the kitchenette island counter, coffee in one hand and tablet in the other.

 Steve looked up from his book and eyed the inventor skeptically. 'Help me out for a sec' could mean a multitude of different things, both good and bad, when it was Tony who was saying it. Steve normally ended up being the guinea pig who sparred against Tony's newest suits and weapons, or a reluctant tag-along to some fancy party hosted by another rich somebody. There was a very low chance whatever Tony wanted, Steve would also enjoy it.

   "Oh, don't give me that face. I just want your opinion on a few things. Take a look."

 The billionaire left the kitchenette and plopped himself down in the chair opposite Steve, passing him the tablet. The webpage displayed multiple different kid's toys.

   "The charity gala for the children's hospital is in a few weeks. I want to give some toys along with the money."

 Right, the gala. Steve needed to decide on a suit for that. And bribe Bucky to actually wear a three piece.

   "And I thought who better to help me choose toys than my resident toddler? Can you help Uncle Tony?"

 Steve rolled his eyes at the last words being cooed, but did admit that it made sense to ask him. The captain looked the webpage over, scrolling through the list. All the toys were organized by age, starting with things for infants and gradually making its way to preteens.

   "There's a lot of stuff here." Steve blinked. When he was young, all the toys were so simple; teddy bears, balsa wood kits, steel planes and trucks, little red wagons. But most of the time, Steve and Bucky had listened to radio dramas or created their own fun when wandering the streets. Lots of stickball.

   "Just pick whatever catches your eye." Tony shrugged. "What would you want when you're Little?"

 Steve pursed his lips in thought. The things targeted towards older children were mostly gadgets or RC toys, which didn't seem appropriate to be driven and flown about the halls of a hospital, so he ignored those. He thought highly of the toys that were both entertaining and educational; the little make believe sets that allowed children to play doctor or chef or mechanic. Non-toxic clay and finger paints would be fun. Simple toys trucks and cars and wooden train sets reminded him of the few toys he had as a child. That kinetic sand stuff was weird but intriguing. Large stuffed animals would be a safe bet. Those huge puzzles that you could lay out on the floor would keep them occupied.

 He perused the list for a little while, pointing out to Tony which items he thought were best. He also suggested some gaming systems, action figures, and novels for the older kids. Tony made note of everything, downed the last of his coffee, and patted Steve on the head.

   "Atta boy."

  "Don't mock me." Steve warned.

 Tony took his hand away. "Sorry, sorry. Really, thanks for looking this over, it's a big help."

   "No problem."   

 

 

 It was a lazy, rainy day. Water pelted the windows harshly as thunder rolled in the distance. Daddy had deemed it a 'pajama day', letting Steve remain in his fleecy footed jammies all through the afternoon. If they were going to stay inside all day, they might as well be comfy. The two of them snuggled together on the couch and watched animal documentaries, sipping cocoa as monkeys swung from tree branches and lizards ran across sun scorched sand. It was all so simple; little domestic things that made that whole day feel like fuzzy sunshine.

 It was later that Steve sat on the floor coloring in a picture of his horse while Daddy flipped through the television channels in search of something interesting. They had watched all the available episodes of Planet Earth, and watching Tangled for the fifth time that week had been denied, much to Steve's disappointment. So the TV went from the news, to a cooking show, to a home shopping channel and so on. Eight hundred channels and nothing watch.

   "маленький зайчи. "

   "Tasha!"

 The spy grinned as she vaulted over the sofa and landed daintily next to the little captain. She squished his cheeks lovingly and dropped a kiss on his nose. Steve squealed and hugged her in return. She smelled faintly of cinnamon.

   "Sweet little bunny. Hi, baby. What are you up to? "

 Steve gestured to his crayons. "Coloring. And not a baby."

   "No? How old are you today?"

   "Two!" He replied proudly, holding up the same amount of fingers. He was a big boy that day. He could use a sippy cup and feed himself and even use the potty. Mostly. Sometimes he had accidents, but only once and a while! That's why he had pull-ups, just in case. And he always got a treat when he got to the potty on time, so he tried his hardest to stay dry when he was a toddler.

   "Two?" Natasha echoed, looking impressed. "So grown up! Maybe you can help me make a grown up choice, huh?"

 She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out few cards, shiny and smooth. Each one focused on a different color and three shades; paint samples. Most likely from a hardware store.

   "Pretty."

   "They are, aren't they? I'm trying to decide on a color. Can I get the little artist's opinion?"

 Steve inspected the sample cards thoughtful. There were four in total; yellow, blue, green, and purple. They weren't incredibly vibrant or bold. They were soft pastels that made Steve think of a candy shop.

   "What for?" He asked. The color choice all depended on what kind of room it would be for.

   "Pepper wants to repaint one of the guest rooms in Tony's Caribbean beach house. No idea why she asked me for advice. Do I look like an interior designer?"

   "Uh-uh."

   "Exactly. So, which one do you like best?"

 Steve sucked his thumb in thought. Beach house guest room? A blue room by the clear blue ocean might be overwhelming. Green was alright, but not one of Steve's favorite colors. Neither was yellow. So he focused in on the purple sample, pointing to the middle shade. It was a lovely light periwinkle that wouldn't overwhelm the room and would fit well with most décor. It reminded Steve of springtime.

   "Pepper will love it. Thank you, sweetheart."

   "Good job?"

   "Very good job. James, are you trying to break the TV?"

 Daddy heaved a dramatic sigh dropped the remote on the sofa cushions, ceasing the rapid fire channel surfing. The television landed on a random sitcom.

   "Trying to find something the both of us can watch. Any suggestions?"

   "You watch Great British Bake Off yet?"

   "Great British what now?"

 Natasha snatched the remote up and quickly began maneuvering through the TV settings. "Best cooking show on the planet. It's not all dramatic music and yelling like American shows. Bruce and I watch it all the time."

 The spy scrolled through the streaming options and located the series in question, selected a season, clicked the first episode, and seated herself  on the couch.

   "Go make snacks."

   "Excuse me?" Daddy said.

   "We need snacks. Right, Steve?"

   "Goldfish and juice, please?"

 Daddy made a sour face at Natasha like she had just betrayed him, but rose from the couch when Steve gave him the cutest pleading puppy dog eyes. The three of them munched on fish shaped crackers as the show contestants attempted crème brûlée, the sound of rain against the window fading into the background.

 

 

 Over the course of three weeks, Steve noticed something about the rest of his team. They always asked for his opinion on certain things, no matter if he was Big or Little. Seemingly random things most of the time; wood choices for furniture, his current weight and measurements, what eased him to sleep, etc. Steve didn't think too much of it, but then the boxes started to arrive. Packages of all different shapes and sizes would arrive at the compound, only for someone to swoop in and cart it away before Steve even had time to blink. And then an unused room on the bedroom level was taped off for 'renovations', according to Tony, who wouldn't clarify any further. The room had no need for renovations and everyone knew it. Steve attempted to enter it one afternoon, only to be kept out by F.R.I.D.A.Y. and Tony's new 'Babygate Protocol'. Something was up and Steve didn't like being kept out of the loop. But all was revealed the night of the children's hospital charity gala, once they had all stumbled back to the compound and changed out of their formal clothes.

   "You should wear suits more often." Steve said, lounging back on the bed as his boyfriend slipped into comfortable sweatpants.

   "Not happening." Bucky scoffed.

   "But you look so good in them."

   "I know. Doesn't mean I like to wear them."

   "Please? For me?"

   "Not happening, Doll."

 Steve huffed and slumped against the pillows with an exaggerated pout. "Meanie."

 Bucky paused a moment, glancing the captain over in analysis. He slipped on a thin t-shirt before sitting on the bed.

   "Odd word choice. You feeling Little? It _has_ been a while since we played."

 Steve could feel his headspace poking at the corners of his mind. It had been a long day. Lots of socializing at the gala with people he didn't know. Listening to a few politicians drone on about their position in whatever they did. A seemingly endless stream of photo ops with just about everyone in attendance. It was all for an incredibly good cause, of course, and he had enjoyed it all, but it had been rather taxing . And it had been almost three weeks since the last time he was Little.

   "Headspace is creeping up. Do you mind?"

   "I'm always happy to take care of my baby, you know that."

 Steve perked up and made to move to the bottom dresser drawer where his diapers and Little clothes were stored, but Bucky caught his hand.

   "They're not there. Come with me, I've got a surprise for you."

 Pushing his headspace to the side for the moment, the captain allowed himself to be tugged along out of the room and down the hall. They came to a stop in front of the room that Steve had been kept out of for weeks.

   "So you have been hiding something from me."

   "That's the whole point of a surprise, Doll. It took forever, but it's finally ready. I hope you like it."

 Bucky swung the door open and Steve had to take a few seconds to fully register what he was seeing. He blinked and gaped and tried to form words, but all that came out was spluttering noises of awe.

 The three of the walls were painted the light purple color Natasha had asked him about weeks ago, speckled here and there with dragonflies. One of the walls was entirely chalkboard, a bucket of different colored chalk hanging on a peg close by.

 Off to the back was a medium sized bookshelf filled with both storybooks and coloring books, with markers, colored pencils, crayons, and finger paints sorted neatly into plastic tubs on the bottom shelf. Next to that were a series of cubby shelves that held most of Steve's toys, puzzles, Duplo, and blocks, as well as few other things that he recognized from the webpage Tony had him choose the donated toys from.

 The floor was mainly covered in a slightly squishy playmate-like material made to appear that a pastel colored jigsaw puzzle. Other parts of the floor that held furniture were decorated with cream colored area rugs. Such furniture consisted of a large changing table that was stocked with all the usual diaper supplies, a cushy two person rocking chair that looked more like a small sofa, a plain dresser, a simple twin bed on one side of the room, and...

   "Oh, my God." Steve breathed, fingers ghosting over the railing of a large crib. It was _huge,_ slightly bigger than a twin bed, made of a beautiful polished grey metal. The legs were shorter than a normal bed, making the whole thing lower to the ground. The railings were so high that Steve would easily be able to stand up and only have his shoulders and head poke over top. A mobile of sleepy looking stars and crescent moons dangled high above soft looking sheets and blankets. Candy and Sleipnir sat waiting atop a pillow, welcoming Steve to the room.

   "Bucky..."

   "Natasha and I were talking and we thought it would be nice if you had a place all your own when you're Little. Everyone helped out. The chalkboard was Clint's idea. The mat can be wiped down so you can paint in here. And I can sleep in here with you. It---oh, God, you don't like it."

 Steve whirled around to face his lover, finding him looking deflated and worried. His shoulders were slumped and his eyes were firmly fixed on the puzzle mat beneath their feet. He almost looked ashamed.

   "It's too much, isn't it? I'm sorry, I should've talked with you about it."

   "Buck, no. No, no, not at all. God, this is---this is incredible. Thank you. Thank you so much, Agra."

 The old Irish term got Bucky to lift his eyes and give a relieved smile. Steve held his arms out and beckoned him to come closer.

   "You really like it?" The ex-assassin muttered.

   "Like it? I---you made me a _nursery._ How did you---where the hell did you get a crib?"

   "Tony built it. Got your weight and measurements and worked from there. Pretty sure that thing can withstand a bomb."

 Steve puffed his cheeks and blew out a breath in awe. It was all beyond words. To know that the people he considered family would go as far as to renovate an entire room just for his Little side was enough to bring tears to his eyes. He really was lucky. Blessed, even.

   "Do you think...sometimes, can we sleep in our bed together instead of me being in the crib?"

   "Of course, I'm not going to miss out on cuddles with my Stevie. Maybe you can try it at naptime first and we go from there. And I'd sleep right over there if you want so you're not all alone at night."

 Steve planted a kiss on his boyfriend's cheek in gratitude and whispered a million thank yous until he was almost out of breath. He looped his arms around his waist and lifted him off the ground out if pure joy. It was the best present ever. He couldn't ask for anything better.

   "You're welcome, Doll. Now, you want to get comfy in your jammies? Your froggy footies are clean. They're in the top dresser drawer and your diapers are right below."

 Steve practically skipped over to the dresser in excitement, rifling through the clothes until he found his pajamas, and grabbing a star patterned diaper. He thrust them into his Daddy's hands eagerly.

   "Take it easy, we don't have to rush."

 The routine of Steve undressing, getting diapered, and putting on his pajamas was the same, with the exception of laying on the large change table when getting padded up. It was a simple thing, laying there instead of the bed, but it felt incredibly different to Steve. There was an odd but not unwelcome sense of security as he lay on the cushioned mat and stared at the ceiling, which he now realized was also decorated with little dragonflies. The feeling of such safety and comfort was wonderful.

   "There's my baby. "

   "Hi, Daddy."

   "Hi, beautiful. I think we should go say thank you to everyone for putting all this together, don't you? Yeah? Alright, up we go. Let's go see who's still awake."

 The Avengers who hasn't retired to bed yet paused in their conversations turned to look at Steve and Bucky as they entered the common area.

   "Going by that smile, I take it he likes the room?" Sam commented casually. Natasha looked rather hopeful, while Tony had a certain confident smugness to him. Wanda almost seemed to be holding her breath as she waited for an answer.

   "Love it!" Steve declared, clapping his hands. His exclamation brought forth a somewhat collective small sigh of relief, followed by chatter of who did what and whose ideas were whose and so on. Wanda had suggested the dragonflies. Sam had laid out the playmat after remembering how his cousin had down it for her kids. Tony admitted that even Pepper had a say in the crib design, mobile, and rocking chair.

   "Thank you." Steve smiled. "Everyone."

 They were an odd bunch. But family nonetheless.

**Author's Note:**

> (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ


End file.
